Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

Download

The town of Mooloolaba in Queensland, Australia, has more visitors than residents, and writer Erica Wheadon tells us why this spot with a river on one side and an ocean on the other is so special.
Text and photos: Erica WheadonCountry: Australia

Mooloolaba was originally known as Mooloolah Heads, named after the same river that winds its way from the eastern slopes of the Blackall Range, flowing east-northeast to the mouth of the river and out to the Coral Sea. It’s thought that the name derives from the aboriginal word ‘mulu’ (snapper fish) or ‘mullu’ (red-bellied black snake), both of which are known to the region.

In the early 1860s, a timber -cutting depot was established at the mouth of the Mooloolah River, as well as a wharf which shipped timber to Brisbane sawmills. The river was also the primary source of transportation for European settlers looking to make their home in the hinterland. Mooloolaba’s population grew from a mere 233 in 1911 to approximately 7,500 in 2017, attracting more visitors every year than permanent residents.

The Mooloolaba wharf, once harkening back to Queensland colonisation, is now home to a plethora of restaurants and bars, which serve fresh local seafood to visitors year-round. The wharf is most famously known for the Sea Life Oceanarium (formerly known as ‘Underwater World’—a title still affectionately used by locals), which has a 260-foot shark tunnel and the world’s largest marine, land, and migratorycrab species. With over eight species of sharks (including the critically endangered grey nurse shark), visitors can experience a close encounter with some of the ocean’s most awe-inspiring creatures. The oceanarium also features the TidalTouchpool, SeahorseSanctuary, and Seal Island, where visitors can touch and learn about life under the sea. Sea Life also has an extensive conservation program which actively works to protect endangered and protected species of marine life.

If walking through a tunnel doesn’t satisfy your thirst for adventure, there are plenty of other ways you can get up close and personal with Sunshine Coast marine life. Sunreef Mooloolaba offer a range of exciting dives to some of the region’s local reefs. There are over 25 sites to explore, from Mudjimba Island, Fairyland, caves, Wobby Rock, Pinnacles and more. Sunreef also offer tours out to Flinders Reef, hailed as one of the most beautiful dive sites in the state and famous for its abundance of green sea turtles as well as the highest number of coral species in a sub-tropical reef system on the east coast. The most exciting dive site, however, is the Ex-HMAS Brisbane, a decommissioned guided missile destroyer that lies approximately 9km from the mouth of the Mooloolah River, now turned into a unique marine conservation park. This world-class dive site is quickly gaining a reputation as one of Australia’s premierewreck dive destinations, with an artificial reef now with 200 species of fish. If you’re not into diving, Sunreef also organise unforgettablewhale-watching tours, where participants can swim with the ocean giants in a safe and controlled environment.

Every year in March, this tiny beach town comes to life as two of the biggest local athletic events take centre stage.The Mooloolaba Swim Festival offers two long-course ocean swim competitions — a challenging 2.5km point-to-point swim from Alexandra Headland to Mooloolaba on the Saturday and the popular Mooloolaba Mile on Sunday, followed by a range of junior and family events for all ages. Several weeks later, the Mooloolaba Triathlon is held with thousands of triathletes travelling from around the country to swim, ride, and run their way to triathlon glory.

From wood-fired pizza topped with fresh local seafood, to modern Asian cuisine, from classic American offerings to innovative five-star fare, Mooloolaba is a food-lovers paradise, with something for everyone.

● Long before European settlement, Mooloolaba was the home of the Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) Aboriginal people, the majority of whom were forcibly removed from the region between 1880 and 1920. Today the culture is being kept alive by a small group dedicated to keeping the stories, traditions, and the spirit of the Gubbi Gubbi people alive.

● Mooloolaba is bounded by the Mooloolah River to the south, and the Coral Sea to the east. A large fleet of fishing vessels sits at the mouth of the river, and the harbour is the northern base for pilot vessels that control shipping through the Port of Brisbane and Moreton Bay.

● Mooloolaba is the fourth town mentioned in the Australian rendition of the famous song ‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ originally written and by Geoff Mack and released by country singer Lucky Starr in 1962. The song has gone on to international acclaim and has since been rewritten for North America, New Zealand, Great Britain, and Ireland.

● Diane Cilento, an Australian actress who hailed from Mooloolaba, married Sean Connery (akaJames Bond) in the late 1960s. The couple lived in the small beach town during the 1970s and were well known to the locals.